I'M writing concerning the overcrowded trains from Bolton to Manchester highlighted in the BEN.

The situation is much the same from Wigan through to Manchester, I get on at Atherton, by then the train is all ready full. I'm a student at Salford University, I use the train everyday because I haven't got my own car and the train station is near by.

I've complained on a number of occasions about the overcrowding on the train and the train companies have given me a similar reply to the one in your article, not enough rolling stock, passengers may have to stand at peak times etc.

After paying £4.70 return I don't expect to be crammed in like cattle surely this is against health and safety regulations.

Each year the train companies publish figures which amount to millions of pounds in profit. Surely this money can be used to buy more carriages to prevent another rail disaster.

Thanks to newspapers like yours something might eventually be done about this farce we call a rail service. It would be a good idea perhaps to get local MPs on the 8:13am to Manchester to see what they think.

Barbara White

bhwhite2@yahoo.com